In the aftermath of the Ilavarasan-Divya episode that led to the premature death of the former at Dharmapuri the acrimony against the Dalit community has assumed serious proportions.
Of late, the Dalits who marry girls of other communities with their full consent and their supporters have become the target of attacks.
Therefore, the government should frame suitable rules to give due protection to those who opt for inter-caste marriages, according to R.Murugappan, coordinator of the Social Awareness Society for Youths, a human rights forum.
Mr Murugappan told The Hindu that the fact finding team of his forum that visited the Asur village near Tindivanam, following a recent attack on the Dalit colony there over a love affair, came out with the revelations that the caste Hindus had become zero tolerant to inter-caste marriages.
He pointed out that the Union Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment had been giving financial assistance to the State governments and the Union Territories to give incentive for inter-caste marriages in which one of the spouses belongs to Scheduled Castes.
IncentivesThe Tamil Nadu government too had been encouraging inter-caste marriages by giving away incentives ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 of which a part would be paid in cash and a major portion deposited in the National Savings Certificate.
Mr Murugappan said that however inter-caste marriage had become an anathema to the caste Hindus.
They have made it a habit to unleash violence against the Dalits who dare tie the knot to girls of other communities, by way of carrying out physical assault and ransacking their properties.
